I Want The Truth To Be Said
by a2agenesgirl
Summary: ALTERNATIVE ENDING to ashes to ashes series 3
1. I Want The Truth To Be Said

_**This is just a one-off and is an alternative ending to Ashes to Ashes. I may add another chapter later about what they talk about in Luigi's but I'm not sure. It depends on how this chapter goes down really. I know that this isn't a good ending for the series, but I really wanted to write a happy ending for Galex. Please review and give feedback!**_

Gene was transfixed by the look on Alex's face. She had just figured it out: she's dead. Alex had lost everything all over again today: Molly especially. And in the next few moments she would lose this strange reality and pass into Heaven. She was about to lose Gene though, and that was killing her. Alex knew however that she had never really had him and never would now. Now that Alex knew the truth – that she had lost everything from the future – she no longer felt guilty about how much she wanted to stay with Gene because he was her everything. She looked into his eyes and saw that he had begun to cry: surely he couldn't let her go?

"Please, Gene, let me stay," Alex begged, "let me stay with you. I, I love you." She had grabbed onto his suit jacket, as if she was making sure he was looking at how much she wanted this.

"Alex, you know how I feel about you," said Gene while trying to hold back the tears, "but you have to move on. You simply can't stay."

"You're staying Gene! I can stay with you! I can help you and, maybe , help whoever joins the team next… " Alex's eyes frantically moved between each of Hunt's eyes, waiting for his reply. Gene sighed and lifted his hand to wipe the tears. Alex took hold of his hand and realized that it was shaking. "You know you want me to stay, Gene. It's so easy, just tell me that you want me to stay."

"Don't make this any harder, Alex. Of course I want you to stay!" His voice broke on his last word and he began to weep unashamedly. Alex let go of him and, to Gene's amazement, she simply walked away from him and away from the Railway Arms. "Where the bloody hell do you think you're going?" Gene yelled after her.

Alex pivoted on the spot where she stood. "I'm starting as I mean to go on!" She turned and started to walk again.

"You make no sense sometimes, you know!"

Alex hid her smirk before she turned again. "Who are you to decide when I leave? You can't force me, can you?" Gene was silent. "Well, there you go… Are you coming or what?"

"To… your place?"

"Close. Why don't we go to Luigi's for a change?"

"Perfect," Gene smiled, properly for the first time in years. "Then upstairs?" Alex looked at him in disgust, but secretly her heart skipped a beat. "I knew you'd come round to my charm eventually."

Gene half-ran to catch up with her, and they walked along the streets towards Luigi's knowing that this was only the beginning of something very special indeed.


	2. I Know This Much Is True

As they walked into Luigi's, there was a strange atmosphere. It was weird without Ray, Chris and Shaz but there was something else. There was no music, hardly any customers and Luigi was definitely not his usual cheery self. On the way back, Alex had broke down in tears again. Gene had just about carried her back and, when they arrived, he placed at their favourite table. She didn't move and silent tears continued to roll down her cheeks.

As Alex heard Gene ordering the drinks – "bottle of 'ouse rubbish" – his voice caused her head to snap up to look instinctively. She tensed as she heard Luigi ask what the problem was, but managed a small giggle when Gene muttered something about "bloody women's problems". Gene looked at her and Alex gave him a gratifying look. He lifted the chair opposite to be closer to her and as soon as he sat down, she collapsed in his arms.

After a few minutes, Alex raised her head and took a deep breath. Gene knew that she would have so many questions and just hoped he could answer them all. "Why didn't you tell me, Gene?"

She didn't have to elaborate. He knew what she meant. "You forget Alex. We all do. Until you found… the body, I hadn't thought about… before for years. I know that there's things that I still can't remember, and probably never will." He paused just for a second to gauge her reaction. "This becomes reality until in your mind your other life never existed."

"How long does it take before I… forget completely?" There was fear in her eyes.

"I don't know. Sorry, I can't tell you because I don't know. It sort of just… fades away." Gene knew what Alex was thinking, and his reply would kill her. "You'll forget everything eventually, Alex. Even Molly."

A fresh stream of tears came then, and Alex began to shake. Gene reached for Alex's hand but his touch provoked no reaction. He should have told her that before she had walked away from the Railway Arms. He wasn't sure, but maybe she would remember everything in there. Gene suddenly remembered his remark about going upstairs with her and was immediately wracked with remorse. He would stay with her tonight of course, but not in the way he had been joking about.

"So… can you even remember how long you've been here?"

"No. Even though my memories of 'how' have been triggered, I can't remember many more details. I just know it's been a long, long time." Alex reached for her glass of wine with a shaking hand and mustered up just enough strength to life it to her mouth. "I know it's a lot to take, Bolls. You can still go back to the Arms if you change your mind."

"No." Alex said it louder than intended, but it was the only thing she was sure of. "I've lost everything, Gene, and I am aching with grief. If I can forget, maybe that's the best thing." She grasped Gene's hand with conviction. "But I haven't lost you. I've never been so scared in my li…" Her voice broke off, and Gene's other hand came to rest on top of hers, giving her the strength to carry on. "You're all I have left, Gene."

"I will always be here for you. Always. You got that?" He began to cry but flashed her a smile which was eventually returned. "I love you." Alex and Gene continued to cry but now, they were tears of happiness.


	3. We'll Be Alright

_**I'm officially saying that this is the last chapter. I just thought exploring their thoughts slightly further this was a nice way to round off. I hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it.**_

"I love you too."

Those four little words meant the world to Gene. He knew where the both stood and, the most important thing, they could now afford to take their relationship at their own pace. So many images came flooding into Gene's head of their future; things he hadn't thought about since… well, he could never remember feeling like this ever before. He had been feeling nervous about telling her how he felt, but he didn't want to waste any more of his time without her. It was a gamble to say 'I love you', but they had both known it for a long time.

Alex was so confused right now. She had lost everything but had gained something very special: someone very special. Deep down, she still had reservations about her choice as she still did not fully understand the circumstances of Sam's departure. Alex had presumed that Gene didn't know either as it was clear that he hurt at Sam's reluctance to talk to him about leaving. At some point, possibly like Sam, there was a point where everyone had to leave: maybe Alex hadn't fulfilled her purpose here but would be forced out of Gene's world once she had. She had originally based her decision on how Gene lived here but, the more she thought about it, it became clear that Gene was always the exception to the rule. Even his own rules. She decided to leave these concerns at the back of mind; she couldn't take much more in.

"Alex?" Gene asked tentatively, testing the water as it were. "I'm gonna stay with you tonight. I'll take the couch, but I wanna make sure you're alright." As Alex opened her mouth to interrupt, Gene lifted his hand and added, "I won't take no for an answer, Bolls."

Alex admitted defeat and simply gave a 'thank you' smile. She knew he had a sensitive side somewhere and she was glad it had come to light. She needed him to stay: she was an emotional wreck, understandably.

That night, it felt like time itself had simply frozen, like Alex's rejection of moving on and caused a rift of temporary limbo in limbo itself. That confusing thought left Alex's head to throb and so she decided to just enjoy the peace. Gene awkwardly tried to induce small talk, but understood her lack of interest. To be fair to him, Gene had just relived his life in the last few hours and so succumbed to the deafening silence in surrender. They drank their wine in silence, their own feelings gradually becoming a blur of numbness.

"I want to go home, Gene," Alex said quietly after finishing her last glass. She looked up at Gene to see a face of horror, sadness and disappointment. "I mean upstairs, to my flat?" She smiled at him as his face reverted back to its usual indiscriminate mould.

"Bloody 'ell, don't scare me like that," Gene replied, almost managing a mischievous grin. He stood up and anticipated having to guide her up the stairs. He reached out to help her, but Alex waved Gene's helping hands away. He didn't take offence: he was happy that she seemed to be more stable. Alex had stopped crying and shaking for now, but he realized that this strange grieving process would take a long time for both of them to recover from. They would bury themselves in work every day but by night, the process would continue. They would lean on each other and they simultaneously thought, 'We'll be alright.'


End file.
